Messi returns in style but for Somali referee World Cup dream is over
Head of the White House Task Force for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, defended the U.S. government's decision to deny entry to a Somali referee and several Iranian team support staff
- Artan said he was subjected to an 11-hour interview with border officials at Miami International Airport and then taken to a holding cell where he was detained for several further hours before being put on a flight back to Turkey.
Lionel Messi scored moments after coming off the bench on Tuesday to dispel any injury doubts and help Argentina win their final warm-up game for a World Cup overshadowed by off-field distractions, as the Somali referee refused entry to the United States said his dream was over.
The 38-year-old Messi had not featured for Argentina in the build-up to their title defence after injuring a hamstring playing for Inter Miami in late May.
He came on as a substitute with 20 minutes left to huge acclaim from a capacity 88,000 crowd against Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, and his clever through ball played in Lautaro Martinez, who was fouled in the box.
Messi, who drove Argentina to their third World Cup crown in Qatar four years ago, lashed in the penalty as the reigning champions eased to a 3-0 win.
The biggest-ever World Cup, with a bumper 48 teams, has been dogged in the lead-up by controversies including fans and officials being barred entry, steep ticket prices and a U-turn after FIFA initially banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into stadiums.
Somali referee Omar Artan said the “biggest dream of my life” had been ripped away after he was turned back at the US border.
“I am very, very disappointed,” Artan told The New York Times from Istanbul, where he returned after being refused entry in Miami.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
Artan said he was subjected to an 11-hour interview with border officials at Miami International Airport and then taken to a holding cell where he was detained for several further hours before being put on a flight back to Turkey.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” he added — an assertion confirmed to AFP by a Somali government advisor.
A US State Department official alleged to AFP that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations,” therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States.”
Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football, would have been the first Somali to referee at a World Cup.
Meanwhile, the head of the White House Task Force for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, defended the U.S. government’s decision to deny entry to a Somali referee and several Iranian team support staff, saying the measures were necessary to protect national security.
Speaking at an event in Washington, Giuliani stressed that all 35 participating teams had been allowed into the country and that no players or coaches had been denied visas.
Giuliani specifically addressed the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was barred from entering the United States despite being selected to officiate at the World Cup.
According to a U.S. State Department official, Artan was denied admission because of alleged associations with suspected members of terrorist organizations, making him ineligible for entry under U.S. immigration laws.
FIFA acknowledged the situation but said it had no authority over visa decisions, noting that host governments ultimately determine who is allowed to enter their countries.
The issue has also affected Iran’s World Cup preparations. Iran was forced to relocate its training base to Mexico amid tensions with the United States, while some Iranian support staff were denied visas and supporter ticket allocations were reportedly revoked.
Giuliani said all Iranian coaches would be allowed to enter, but certain officials were excluded because of alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
